Railcar Repair Shop Production Manager

• Lead and develop a high-performing team
• Promote a culture of safety, teamwork, and continuous improvement
• Demonstrate the ability to drive performance through KPIs, effectively measuring success and ensuring continuous improvement across key metrics.
• Proactively anticipate and avoid problems. Develop solutions to issues in a timely manner
• Ensure regulatory compliance with all FRA and AAR regulations

Customer Satisfaction

• Understand customers’ requirements and develop tailored solutions to address their needs
• Communicate with car owners on schedule and on status of repairs
• Seek feedback from customers and implement improvements

Production Management

• Actively manage all aspects of production (current and future projects) to ensure timely and high-quality repairs to meet customer commitments.
• Ensure repair paperwork is complete and accurate
• Manage inventory procurement, usage and costs
• Maintain relationships with vendors. Monitor & manage vendor performance and costs
• Ensure shop is clean and organized
• Identify and mitigate potential hazards
• Create and manage shift schedules and staffing to maximize production
• Identify areas for process improvement, increased production efficiency, and cost-saving initiatives.

Financial Performance

• Partner with VP of Operations to develop & execute plans to achieve financial objectives
• Analyze data and generate reports on key performance indicators (KPIs), including production efficiency, utilization, costs, challenge areas and quality issues
• Partner with accounting department to ensure inventory management and railcar billing is completed in a timely manner

Business Development

• Develop & maintain forward looking schedule of shop production and available production capacity
• Collaborate and partner with business development team to grow and diversify the pipeline

Minimum Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of the AAR field manual, AAR Office Manual, AAR MSRPs, and Code of Federal Regulations.
• Minimum of 10 years of railcar repair experience with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Strong leadership and strategic thinking with proven decision-making ability in complex production environments.
• Leverage data to drive continuous process improvement
• Desire to grow the railcar repair business & continually identify solutions for customers
• Technical proficiency in Microsoft Excel to manage, analyze and draw insights from data
• Experience working in a safety sensitive regulated industry and building productive relationships with regulators.
• Must possess a strong working knowledge of Interchange repairs, with the ability to use a variety of tools and equipment including but not limited to pneumatic and hydraulic tools, grinders, jacks, welders, cutting torches, cranes and forklifts

Preferred Qualifications

• Management experience of full cycle railcar repair
• Experience implementing lean six-sigma best practices
• Regulatory Knowledge: In-depth knowledge of AAR M-1002, M-1003 Specifications, and Title 49 CFR.

Work Environment

• This position is will have a daily presence on the production floor to lead the team, provide coaching, ensure adherence to safety rules and repair procedures and also require a daily office presence to perform various planning and coordination activities.
• Travel to develop & maintain customer relationships & engage in industry events
• Must be willing to work flexible hours, including nights and weekends, as required. Expectation to have regular presence and engagement with second shift team